Toward a Policy on Regulation of the Weight Control Industry

Abstract

The weight control industry is growing in terms of its potential influence on unsuspecting consumers. Unfortunately, this industry that largely goes unregulated is fraught with products of questionable value, practices of dubious validity, high client recidivism rates, unsubstantiated claims, and under-prepared program providers. These factors expose consumers not only to fraud, but to significant health risk. This paper briefly describes the nature of these consumer risks, reviews safe weight loss guidelines, and argues for increased regulatory control measures supported by the Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration. Finally, a discussion of the health education specialist as an integral part of the education and policy advocacy effort is presented.